Machine for forming plastic tile



H.R0cK MACHINE FOR FORMING PLASTIC TILE.

APPLICATION FILED EEB 4 1921.

,`4:1v8,227, Patented May 30,' 1922.

w N ff@ a w I N N rx MN5/v70@ o Ha/ oE/v BRoeK o i I A H'. BROCK.MACHINE FOR FOHMING PLASTIC TILE.

APPLICATION FILED FEBI 4.192I. 1,418,227, Patented May 30, 1922.

a SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

/A/ VBI/70H HOL DEN RocK.

H. BROCK.

MACHINE FOR FORM-ING PLASTIC TILE. APPLIcATloN FILED`FEB.4.192|'.

1,418,227. Patented May 30,1922..

I IIIIIIIIUII'IIII H. BROCK. MACHINE For: mamme PLASTIC me. AAPPLICATION FILED FEB. 4| |921. 1,418,227, Patented May 30,V 1922.

9 SHEETS-'SHEET 4x m mlm' mlumm;

H. BROCK.

MACHINE FOR FOHMING PLASTIC TILE.

APPLICATION FILED rEB.4. 1921.

' 1,418,227. Patented May 30, 1922.

H. BROCK.

MACHiN FOB FORMING PLASTIC TILE. APPLlcATloN FILED mp4. 1921.

1,418,227. Patented mm; ,0,1922` 9 SHEETS-SHEFT 6.

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pmy.

H. BROCK.

MACHINE FOR FQBIVIING PLASTIC TILE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4. |921.

141'8,227, Patented May30,1922- 9 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

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I/vI/E/vb/I WUI/5885s Baalen broc/f) H. BROCK.

MACHINE FOR FORMING PLASTIC TILE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 4, I92I.

1,41 8 ,227 Patented May 30, 1922.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

H. BROCK.

MACHINE Fon FORMING PLAsTlc TILE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4, 192il 2. 99 JIU 0m 3. wm Mm. MM M .m .nr

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I III W/T/VESSES HOLDEN BBGCK, 0F ST. LOUS,

MISSOURI.

MACHINE FOR FORMING- PLASTIC TILE.

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if 10 all zr/720m @'15 may. concern:

Be it known that I, HOLDEN BROCK, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certainnew and useful Improve-- ments in Machines for Forming Plastic Tile, ofwhich the following is aspecication.

My present invention relates generally to the manufacture of plastictile or shingles for .rooting and similar purposes and more particularly,to a machine which will form and deliver plastic bodies in shape readyfor drying, and in a continuous, eii'ective and elicient manner, myprimary object being the provision of a machine which willc0ntinuouslyoperate to accomplish the bulk of the vwork in a wholly'mechanical manner and reduce to a minimum the necessary manual effortsrequired in its control, regulation v and upkeep. y In carryingout myinvention I propose almachinein which there is anendless feed of formplates shaped to correspond with one Aside or face of the lfinishedtile, to and throughv a series ofoperating stations where the plasticmaterial is successively placed, rolled, troweled, dusted, againtroweled, and finally discharged, and these several operations vareAaccomplished without the necessity of skilled labor and in fact withoutthe necessity of any labor except to maintain thesupply of the formplates and the materialr fed thereto, bevond the mere upkeep of theoperating parts themselves.

Mv invention further aims to provide machine of this nature which willbe strong.

' durable and yet simplein construction and capable of uniformefliciency for. the intended purposes. 'a

In.k the accompanyingl drawings lwhich illustrate my invention and formapart of this specification,

Figure l is a side elevation, of the complete machine,

Figure Qfis .a plan view of a tile formed thereby.

" Figure '3 is an edge `view thereof,

Figure ais a top plan view of a portion of'theendless convever,

Figure 5 is an enlarged side view, partly broken away andinv section, ofthe receivand thewcenveyer, showing' the means Specification of LettersPatent.

, ing lanother slight Patented May 30,1922.

Application filed February 4, 192].. Serial No. 442,467.

for automaticall7 feeding the form plates thereto,

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on linev 66 of Figure l, on an enlarged scale,

Figure 7 is a side view of the parts shown in Figure 6, l

Figure 8 `is an enlarged side view of a portion of the machine adjacentto one of the scrapers ortrowels,

Figure 9 is an enlargedvertical transverse section taken substantiallyon line 9 9 of Figure l,

Figure 10 is a side view, partly broken away and in section, of theparts shown in Figure 9,

y Figure 1l is an enlarged sideview discharge end of the machine,

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the parte shown in Fig-ure 1l, y

Figure 13 is an enlarged side view, partly in section of the receivingend ofthe con veyer showing a modified construction,

Figure 14 is a cross section through the feed table taken substantiallyon line lef-.14 of Figurel,

of the Figure 15 is a longitudinal section through one of the formplates showing modified construction.

Figure 16 is an enlarged cross section through the machine adjacent toone ofthe scrapers or trowels.

Figure i7 is a side view of the parts shown in Figure lr6, Y

Figure 1S is an enlarged side view, partly in section, of the receivingend of the machine showing a slightly modified lform of plate feedmechanism.` Figure 19 is a partial side view illustrat- V modificationdesired where reinforcements are utilized in the tile beingmanufactured, and 4 Figure 20 is a top plan view of the parts shown inFigure 19.

Referring now to these figures my invention proposes a rigid horizontalframe in which upper and laterally spaced rails, disposedy in lengthwiseand parallel relation, are formed'by angle bars as particularly seen inFigure 6 supported b v the upper and lower ends of longitudinally alinedseries .of side uplower pairs 20 and 21 ofy rights 22. The upper rails20, disposed with their inner`- upright webs in vertical. alinement withthe inner upright webs of the lower rails 2l, are secured upon the upperTshaped heads 23 of the uprights 22, certain of the latter of which,adjacent to the opposite ends of the frame, maybe connected by crossbeams 24 formed of an* gle bars for the support of the forward and rearportions of the lower rails 2l, the remaining uprights having inwardlyprojecting lugs 25 on which the lower rails are secured.

Outstanding. horizontally and lengthwise beyond the end uprights 22 ofthe frame at its forward' and rear ends, are slotted brackets 26 and inLthese brackets are disposed the adjustable bearings 27 of cross shafts265` the adjustment of the bearings being accomplished by adjustingscrews 29.

0n the shafts 28 between the brackets 26 are secured spiders whoseoutstanding arms 30 have transversely recessed extremities 3l for apurpose which will be presently described.

The endless belt of the carrier supported in movable relation in theframe just above described consists of lengthwise series of side plates32, disposed in laterally spaced pairs, with their ends pivotallyconnected by bolts 33 to the inner surfaces of the oppositely angularextensions 34 at the ends` of cross plates 35, the bolts 83 movablysupporting rollers 36 outwardly beyond the cross plate extensions,adapted for engagement by the recessed ends 3l of the spider arms asclearly seen by reference to Figure l. The endless carrier or conveyeris thus divided by the cross plates into a lengthwise series ofcompartments of which each compartment is bounded by a pair of the sideplates 32 between adjacent cross plates, each of thesel compartmentsbeing adapted for the reception of a form plate 37 whose upper surfaceat least conforms to the rdesired shape of the lower surface of thefinished tile, as will'be seen by reference to Figure 6. These formplates in the successive compartments of the carrier are supported byvirtue of their engagement upon the innerv portions of the pivotal,connecting bolts 33 and upon lugs 38 projecting from thek lowerportionsY of the cross plates 35.

The rollers 36 of the endless conveyer or carrier travel in therearwardly moving` upper run upon the upper rails l20 of the frame.`andin the forwardly moving lower run, upon the'lower rails 2l of theframe, the twol spiders rotatable at the opposite A ends of the frameengaging` the'conveyer or carrier as above described, and one at leastof these spiders being driven for the purpose: of bringing about propermovement of the carrier. i

For this purpose the spider at the rear' end of the frame is preferablyrotated, its shaft 28 having a worm wheel 39 thereon engaged by the worm40 at the lower rear end of a lengthwise extending forwardly andupwardly inclined shaft 4l disposed in the frame between its sideuprights 22 and in one or more bearings 42,' each supported by a crossApiece 43 connected to the uprights. The upper. forward end of thisshaft 41 is provided with a bevel gear 44, in engagement with a bevelgear 45 of a cross shaft 46, the latter of which has at one projectingend a pulley 47, which may be connected as by means of a belt 48 to anysuitable source of power as for instance an electric motor 49, thelatter of which may if desired be secured within and supported by theframe of the' machine so as to thus conveniently supply necessaryrotation, through the connections just'described, to the rear carrieractuating spider.

As above stated each of the spaces of the endless carrier between itscross bars 35, is adapted to receive one of ythe lform plates 37 andeach of such spaces does in fact receive one ofthe form plates asr itreaches the form plate receiving station in the course vof rounding theupper portion of the forward spider, that is slightly in advance of theposition shown in Figure 5.

According to the showing of Figures l and 5 an inclinedfeed table 50 isprovided for avseries of the form plates 37, supported upon uprights 5land having upper guide rails 52 the latter of which are inclined andextended downwardly in order tosupport at their` lower ends adjacent tothe carrier upright supporting members 53 between the upper. portionsofwhich a pair ofvertically spaced transversely extending guide rollers54 are mounted. -The lower edge of the feed table flanged as at 55 andan inclined follower 56 acts against the series of form plates 87 on thetable to shift the* latter against the flange 55, follower 56 having a.guide coiled for the above purpose.

To -one of theupper ,carrier supporting rails-20 adjacent its rear lendis connected an upright 59 on the upper end of whichis supportedafulcrumA 60 of a lever :61 whose lower end is successively vengaged andshiftpin 57 around which Aa spring-58 is ed rearwardly against thetension of v a- 35 `shown ,in Figure 9.

the movable carrier passes,

,islaam the lower end oflever 6l is shiftedrrearwardly as seen in fulllines in Figure 5, the

` feed arm 64 in its forward movement 1s raised and then lowered so thatits notched head 66 engages the upper edge of the rearmost form plate ofthe series 37, and then as the engaging cross bar 35 passes rearwardlyfrom beneath lever 6l in the further rearward movement of the carrier,the lever rocks in the opposite direction to the dotted line position,under tension of spring 62, the feed arm 64 in its forward movementbeing pressed downwardly at its forward end to follow the arc ofmovement of the upper edge of the engaged form plate and beingsubsequently elevated to release the same from the upper edge of theengaged form plate, allowing the latter to fall rearwardly anddownwardly into one of the form plate receiving spaces of the carrierwhich will at that time be in proper position to receive the form plate.lt will be understood that this is a practically continuous operation,which in so far as manual laboris concerned only necessitates that aproper supply of form plates 37 be maintained at all times upon the feedtable 50.

According to the above then each ofthe form plate receiving spaces ofthe carrier becomes supplied with a form plate as -it rounds the upperportion of the forward spider, just prior to its movement on to theforward ends of the upper carrier guide rails 20. ln: this position theforward and rear edges of each form plate rest upon the lugs 88 ofadjacent cross bars 35 of the carrier,

with its side edges upon .the inner portions of the bolts 33, the fo-rmplate being then in a plane substantially below the upper edges of theside bars 32 of the carrier as well as the upper edges of the cross bars35, the latter of which are grooved to correspond in general with thecontour of the upper face of the form plate and the latter of which isshaped-to conform tothe desired lower surface of the tile. This isplainly towbe seen by a comparison of the title 67 shown in Figures 2and3 with the shape ofthe form plate 37 shownin lfigure and theshape of therecessed upper edge lofy the crossbar Above the main frame adjacent toitsfor ward end is` supported a hopper 66` downwardly into which theymaterial may be m- -termittently dumpedgby hand or continuously fed bymeans of a chute `69 shown: 'in

dotted lines in Figure 6, and. from the lower beneath vwhich thematerial is automatically 'fed under control of an adjustable feed gate70 having a lugv 7ll by means of" which it maybe adjustedto the open endof which hopper,

, various apertures 72 in avertical' series'along oneinclined wall 7f3of the hopper.

At .the rear lower portion of this hopper 68 a roller 7e is mountedtransversely thereof, with its surface contoured to accord with thedesired shape of the upper surface of the finished` tile and to accordwith the recessing of the upper edges of the several cross'bars. 35 ofthe carrier. rllhc result is that this roller is spaced above each formplate 37 as the latter passes beneath the plate, the desired thicknessof the tile.

The roller 74 just above mentioned is secured within the hopper upon across shaft 75 journaled through and extending at its opposite endsbeyond, the side walls of the hopper, and with its opposite extremitiesdisposed in bearings 76 adjustably mounted in brackets 77 rising fromthe upperv carrier guide rails 20. Vertically through the lower portionsof these brackets 77 are adjusting screws 7 S which operate as apositive though adjustable limit to downward movement of the bearing 76,the latter'v of which are yieldingly held in the lower position againstthe adjusting screws 7S by means of springs 79 under control ofadjusting screws 8O threaded through the upper portions of brackets 77.

The lower side edges of the hopper 68 are thus yieldingly heldagainstthe upper edges of the side bars 32 of thc carrier, as the hopperyieldsvertically with the shaft 7 5`r its connection being by means of aitl-shaped rod 8l, the downturned ends .82of which are secured totheupper side rails 20 and the cross bar of which .passes loosely through'the side walls of the hopper adjacent to their plate' receiving recessof the carrier passes rearwardly beneath the hopper' 68 it is quiteobvious the material will then be pressed to the form o f the finishedtile both as to its upper and lowersurfaces. g Immediately afterpressure by the roller the Amaterial passes beneath a sizing` shaper 86ashown particularly in Figures 7 and 8, which -is pivotedc at 67a to thebracket or hanger 77 and .is controlled byy spring actuated rods 91a.The upper' heads 90n of these rods .911 engage side pins 89Vof theshaper 86a `and their lower portionsdepend through the side rails 20 andare engaged by springs. 92n and an adjustable movement limiting nut 93s.

This shaper operates under adjustable pressure to effectively size andshape the formed and rolled tile.

As the formed tiles pass rearwardly after the rolling and sizing of theplastic material upon the .form plates, they pass beneath the firstsmoothing or troweling device, in the Anature of a generally horizontalplate 86 whose forward portion is pivoted by side pivots 87 tol sidesupports 88 upstanding from the side rails 20, and the sides of whoserear portion have laterally outstanding pins 89 engaged by theupperrecessed heads 90 of controlling rods 91 which pass downwardly throughthe outstanding` horizontal flanges of the side rails 20 and are engagedby springs 92 whose function is to yieldingly hold the rear portion ofthe troweling plate 86 downwardly against the plastic tile as the lattermove rearwardly so that there will be a scraping or smoothing action ofthe upper surface-of the plastic material, for which purpose the rearedge of the troweling plate 86 is of course recessed to correspond tothe particular shape of the tile and to the particular recessing of thecross bars 35 of the carrier. The rods 91 are also engaged by adjustablestop nuts 93 which abut the upper surfaces of the side flanges of guiderails 20 so that the springs 92 cannot act to cause excessiveA frictionbetween thetroweling plate and the upper edges of the carrier.

` Subsequent to its passage beneath the troweling plate 86, eachA of theplastic filled spaces of the carrier moves beneath a cement or otherpowder holding hopper 95 around the lower open end of which lis secureda reticulate curved base 96, the latter held by adjustable clamps 97 atthe lower side portions of the hopper in order to permit of readyrenewal of the reticulate basewhen such renewal becomes necessary.Journaled by means of st ub shafts 98 at its opposite ends, one of whichsupports a belt pulley 99, is a stirring or agitating feed` wheel 100,whose lengthwise peripheral blades 101 act against the reticulate base96 of the hopper to cause an effective sifting of the material throughthe reticulate base in a continuous manner so as to thoroughly dust theupper surfaces of the' tile as they pass successively beneath thehopper.

The hopper 95 is supported upon upright brackets 102 rising from theupper side rails 20 las seen particularly in Figures 9 and 10, and thesifting device has associated therewith a depending bracket 103 whichcarries the adjustable'bearing 104 of a short shaft 105. -This shaft isadjusted so that its axis alines with the main driven shaft 41, by meansof adjusting screws 106 which engage the upperand lower surfacesof itsadjustable bearing 104. At its outer end the shaft 105. carries a pulley107, connected by a belt 108V with the pulley 99 before described, andhas upon its'inner end an enlarged gear member 1 09 engaging the gear110 on the main driven shaft 41.

After passage beneath the surface dusting arrangement just abovedescribed, the plastie tile are successively engaged and acted upon by asecond troweling plate 111, supported and operating substantiallysimilar to the device 86 before described, troweling plate 111 beingsupported and operating` adjacent to the rear discharge end of the framewhere the form plate with their plastic cov-.

ering complete and ready for drying are successivelyv and automaticallydischarged prior to the movement around the rear spider which bringsabout rotation of the endless carrier.

At the rear end of the frame, as shown particularly in Figures 11 and12, the upper guide rails 20 have beveled portions 112, theirextremities supporting the journals 113 of a rotatable cross bar 1.14having a centrally'disposed angular arm 115 for successive engagementand elevation byr the vseveral cross plates 35 of the carrier. Thisvcross rod 114 1s mounted below the forward end of an endless belt 116rotatable around forward and rear rollers 117 and 118, one

end of the shaft 119 of the latter of which is extended and providedwith a sprocket wheel 120 connected by a sprocket chain' 121 with asprocket wheel 122 mounted on the shaft 28 of the rear spider. Thisendless belt 116 operates in a frame whose side bars 123 terminate attheir rear above the adja-A cent edge of a support 124 which may beeither a stationary table or a laterally moving conveyer, the forwardends of the side bars 123 being secured in connection with:

pair of forwardly side arms 126, each having al form plate with a tilein a plastic state thereon, is elevated on to the belt 116, andv bymeans of this moving belt, is shifted on to the support 124 fortransportation to either anearby or distant point where the tile aredried. y Y j Thus it becomes obvious that the form plate receivingspaces, which receive the form plates 37 at the front end of the framein the form plate receiving station, are finally and automaticallyemptied just before reaching the rear end of the frame so that the lowerrun of the carrier travels in open unoccupied condition along the lowerguide rails 21. i

In Figures 13, 14 and 15 I have shown a slightly modified constructionwherein the endless carrier has cross bars between every second joint ormore of its side plates 131 instead of at every joint in theconstruction previously described, certain of the ends of the sideplates 131 being flexibly connected simply by means of straps 132so asto adapt the carrier to receive form plates 133 of considerable length,in which case these form plates may be fed by hand across the transverserollers 134 of a feed table 135 seen in Figure 13.

In Figures 14 and 15 in particular I vhave shown a slightly modifiedconstruction as to the form plates themselves where instead of a simplepressed sheet metal plate, the form plates 136 are shown supported by anangle iron frame 137.

In Figure 18 moreover I have shown a modification in respect to the feedarms, wherein the carrier actuated lever 138, in all respect-s similarto described, is pivotally connected at its upper end at 139 to thejointed part 140 of a feed arm 141, the latter of which slides through aguide 142 and is sufficiently fiexible so that in its forward movementit will catch over the upper edge of the foremost form plate 37 of theseries on the feed table; In other respects this construction is thesame as that previously'described and shown in Figure 5.

In Figure 16 I have shown a slight modication in respect to thetroweling plate, a troweling plate 143 being' shown in this figure whosefree edge is cut away on a slightly diEerent configuration to cooperatein the production of a tile shown at 144 which is somewhat differentfrom the tile shown in Figures 2 and 3. The troweling plate 143 ismoreover pivoted by means of side pins 145 entering the same adjacent toits opposite edge and extending through the forwardly projecting wings146 of uprights 147, the latter of which are secured to' and upstandfrom the upper side rails 20a of the carrier. In this figure the formplate is indicated at 148 of the construction just'a'bove described inconnection with Figures y14 and 15, the free edge of plate 143 restingonv the upper edges of the side plates 149 of the endless carrier undercontrol of adjusting screws 150 threaded vertically through the plate asshown. Adjacent to its rear lower edge' troweling plate 143 hasoutstanding side pins 151 engaged by the upper notched heads 152 ofjusting nuts 154 of whichrest upon the rearwardy extensions 155 of thesupporting'uprights 147, through which `the adjusting screws 153 looselyextend. Around the lower portions of these adjusting screws are thelever 61 previously adjusting screws 153', the adsprings 156'which thusyieldingly hold the rear edge of the troweling plate in the lowereective position in engagement with thel material to' be surfaced,located' within the several material receiving spaces of the carrier'.

In Figures 19 and QUI have shownv a modification4 in respect tov feed ofmaterial to the form plates of the conveyer for utilization where, onaccount of size of the finished product or heavy work, reinforcements,for instance reinforcing rods are placed in the material receivingspaces.

per such as hopper 68 previously described has a tendency todisplace thereinforcing rods, and to offset this disadvantage I may employ alengthwise elongated hopper 68aL as in Figures 19 and 20, in the lowerforward portion of which a conveyer 157 is horizontally disposed andoperates to continuously force the rplastic material rearwardly againstthe pressure roller -74a so that it-will be pressed downwardly by thelatter evenly and uniformly into the material receiving spaces and airbubbles and the like pressed out of the material without disturbing thepreviously positioned reinforcing rods or members. This conveyor 157 maybe driven' by any suitable means, as for instance a belt 158 from apulley 159 on the forward main conveyer shaft 28, or from some othersuitable point, and it is obvious that in thus providing for effectivereinforcement I do so with minimum` extra parts and Without undesirablecomplication. y

The modified construction which is thus evidently possible vinconnection withkthe several parts of the apparatus does not howevereffect its general construction, opera'- In 'such case material dumpedthrough a hoption or function, and it is obvious that the modificationsas described are capable of mutual operation inthe manner beforedescribed to bring aboutA thev general result sought for.

I claim: v 1. A machine of the character described including an endlesscarrier having spaced side bars and cross bars forming a lengthwiseseries of open material receiving spaces, links between the side barssupporting the said cross bars, a series of form plates constitutingremovable bases for said spaces, means for feeding the form plates intothe successive spaces of the carrier at one point in the length of thelatter, means for discharging the vform plates from the carrier atanother point'in the lengthof the latter, and means between the saidpoints for feeding, working and surfacing plastic material within thecarrier spaces on the form plates;

2. A machine of the character described including an endless carrierhaving spaced side bars and cross bars forming a series of tile formingspaces therein open at i's o their upper and lower ends, links betweenthe sidebars, with which the cross bars are integral, a series of formplates constituting removable bases for the tile forming spaces of thecarrier, means for automatically feeding the form plates into the tileyforming spaces of the carrier at one point in` the length of the latter,means for automatically discharging the form plates from the carrier atanother point in its length, means between said lpoints for feeding andworking lplastic material into the said carrier spacesupon the formplates for subsequent discharge with the form plates, and

with which said cross bars are integral, said cross bars havingsupporting lugs, a series of form plates constituting removable basesfor said material receiving spaces and seatable on said lugs, meansactuated by the carrier for feeding the form plates into the said spacesat one point in' the length of the carrier,`means also actuated by thecarrier for discharging` the form plates from the material receivingspaces at another point in the length of the carrier, and means locatedbetween said points for feeding, working and surfacing plastic materialwithin the spaces and upon the said form plates.

' 4:. 'A machine of the character described including a frame havingbearing supports at its opposite ends, bearings adjustable in saidsupports, spiders journaled inY said bearings having recessed outerends, a carrier which travels around the spiders and through the frame',including a series of side bars, links connecting the endsof the saidbars and having pivot bolts extending therethrough, rollers on the saidpivot bolts to extend into the recesses of the spider arms, cross barsintegral at their ends with the said links between the ends of the sidebars and forming with the latter a series of form plate receiving spacesinthe carrier, means for feeding form plates into the spaces at -one endof the frame, means for discharging the form plates from the spaces atthe opposite end of the frame, and means in the j, length ofthe framefor feeding, working and surfacing plastic material upon the formplates.

5. A-machine of the character described including a frame havingbearingv supports at itsopposite ends, bearings adjustable in saidsupports, spiders journaled in said bear ings having recessed outerends, a carrier which travels around the spiders and through the frame,including a series of sidel bars,

links connecting the ends of the .said bars and having pivot boltsextending therethrough, rollers on the said pivot bolts to extend intothe recesses of the spider arms, cross bars integral at their ends withthe said links between the ends ofthe side bars and `forming with thelatter aseries of form plate receiving spaces in the carrier, means forfeeding form plates into the spaces at one end of the frame, means fordischarging the form plates from the spaces at the opposite end of theframe, and means in the length of the frame for feeding, working andsurfacing plastic material upon the form plates, said crossrbars havingoutstanding lugs at their opposite sides to support the form plateswithin the form -plate receiving spaces as described.

6. In a' machine of the character described,

an endless carrier having a series of form plate receiving spaces andcross plates be tween said spaces, a feed table adjacent to the carrier,a Series of form plates on the feed table, and carrier actuated meansfor successively feeding the form plates into the spaces of the carrierincludinga movable feed arm to engage and shift the form plates, and alever connected at one end to the vfeed arm and having its oppositejenddis posed in the path of movement of the cross plates of said carrier.

7. In a machine of the characterdescribed, an endless carrier having alengthwise series of form plate receiving spaces and cross platesbetween said spaces, an inclinedffeed table having its anged lower edgeadjacent to the carrier, a series of form plates on thev feed table,means for holding .the series of form plates in engagement with theflanged edge of the feed table,means shiftable into engagement with theupper edge of the foremost feed platev for swinging the same out--wardly on to the carrier, consisting of a feed arm and a lever pivotallyconnected at one end to the feed arm and having its opposite enddisposed in the path of movement of the cross plates of the carrier, andaspring engaging the lever to shift the saine in one direction. Y

8. In a machine of thecharacter described, a carrier, a frameon whichthe carrier is movable,lmeans adjacent to one end ofthe frame forfeeding form plates into the carrier, means for forming plastic tile onthe forni plates in the length of the carrier, a cross rod in the frameadjacentto its opposite end having vertically swinging form platelifting arms and carrier actuatedv means for rocking the same to shiftthe arms vertically beneath each successive forni plate, and an elevatedconveyer arranged yto receive the form plates when they are shifted 10cally swinging arms beneath the carrier and a projecting pinsuccessively engageable by the cross plates of the Carier to rock therod and swing the arins vertically against the form plates, and aconveyei disposed in elevated relation above the carrier adjacent to thelast mentioned end of the frame to receive the successively elevatedfoi-m plates as described. i

HOLDEN BROCK.

